Treating high blood pressure will help avoid issues such as heart disease, stroke, loss of vision, chronic kidney disease, and other blood vessel disease.
When you should know about side effects of blood pressure medication? You may need to take medicines to decrease your high blood pressure if lifestyle changes are inadequate to bring your blood pressure to the target level.
When Are Medicines for High Blood Pressure Used
The majority of the time, your health care company will try lifestyle changes first and inspect your BP 2 or more times. Medicines will likely be started if your BP readings remain at or above these levels:
- Top number (systolic pressure) of 140 or more in people younger than 60 years
- Top number of 150 or more in people 60 years and older
- Bottom number (diastolic pressure) of 90 or more
If you have diabetes, heart issues, or a history of a stroke, medications may be started at lower high blood pressure reading. The most frequently used blood pressure targets for people with these medical issues are listed below 130 to 140/80 mmHg.
Medications for High Blood Pressure
Most of the time, just a single drug will be used in the beginning. Two drugs might be started if your
- Systolic BP is above 160
- Diastolic BP is above 100
Numerous types of medication are used to treat high blood pressure. Your doctor will choose which kind of medicine is right for you. You might have to take more than one type.
Each type of blood pressure medication noted below can be found in different brand name and generic names.
One or more of these high blood pressure medicines are frequently used to treat high blood pressure:
- Diuretics are likewise called water tablets. They help your kidneys remove some salt (sodium) from your body. As an outcome, your blood vessels do not need to hold as much fluid and your blood pressure goes down.
- Beta-blockers make the heart beat at a slower rate and with less force.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (likewise called ACE inhibitors) unwind your blood vessels, which reduces your high blood pressure.
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (also called ARBs) work in about the very same method as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.
- Calcium channel blockers relax capillary by stopping calcium from entering cells.
High blood pressure medications that are not used as typically include:
- Alpha-blockers assist unwind your capillary, which lowers your high blood pressure.
- Centrally acting drugs signal your brain and nerve system to unwind your capillary.
- Vasodilators signify the muscles in the walls of capillary to unwind.
- Renin inhibitors, a newer kind of medication for treating high blood pressure, act by decreasing the quantity of angiotensin precursors therefore unwinding your blood vessels.
Side Effects of Blood Pressure Medicines
The majority of high blood pressure medications are easy to take, but all medicines have side effects. Most of these are mild and might go away with time.
Some typical side effects of high blood pressure medicines consist of:
- Erection issues
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headache
- Weight loss or gain without trying
- Cough
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Skin rash
- Feeling nervous
- Feeling tired, weak, sleepy, or a lack of energy
Tell your company as quickly as possible if you have side effects or the side effects are triggering you problems. Most of the time, making changes to the dose of medication or when you take it can help in reducing side effects.
Never ever change the dosage or stop taking a medicine by yourself. Always speak to your supplier first.
Other Tips
Taking more than one medicine might alter how your body takes in or uses a drug. Vitamins or supplements, various foods, or alcohol might likewise alter how a drug acts in your body.
Constantly ask your provider whether you need to prevent any foods, drinks, vitamins or supplements, or other medicines while you are taking blood pressure medicine.
We think that the information about side effects of blood pressure (hypertension) medications mentioned above is cover most of your questions about the issue.
